Skip to main content

Medical Management of the High-Output Enterostomy and Enterocutaneous Fistula

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Atlas of Intestinal Stomas

Abstract

Medical management of the high-output enterostomy or enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) requires an understanding of mechanisms behind the malabsorption associated with short bowel syndrome (SBS) and intestinal failure (IF). A traditional definition of SBS is <200 cm of remaining viable jejunum and ileum following surgical resection for disease, trauma, infarction, or congenital defect. A more functional definition involves consideration of the quality of the bowel in continuity and the clinical status of the patient, both of which may further interfere with absorptive capacity of the bowel. A thorough examination of remaining functional and structural anatomy can reveal potential causes of persistent malabsorption.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Thompson JS. Management of the short bowel syndrome. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 1994;23(2):403–20.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Borgstrom B, Dahlqvist A, Lundh G, Sjovall J. Studies of intestinal digestion and absorption in the human. J Clin Invest. 1957;36(10):1521–36.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Nightingale JM, Kamm MA, van der Sijp JR, et al. Disturbed gastric emptying in the short bowel syndrome. Evidence for a ‘colonic brake’. Gut. 1993;34(9):1171–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hofmann AF, Poley JR. Role of bile acid malabsorption in pathogenesis of diarrhea and steatorrhea in patients with ileal resection. I. Response to cholestyramine or replacement of dietary long chain triglyceride by medium chain triglyceride. Gastroenterology. 1972;62(5):918–34.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Debongnie JC, Phillips SF. Capacity of the human colon to absorb fluid. Gastroenterology. 1978;74(4):698–703.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ziegler TR, Fernandez-Estivariz C, Gu LH, et al. Distribution of the H+/peptide transporter PepT1 in human intestine: up-regulated expression in the colonic mucosa of patients with short-bowel syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75(5):922–30.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Royall D, Wolever TM, Jeejeebhoy KN. Evidence for colonic conservation of malabsorbed carbohydrate in short bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 1992;87(6):751–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Parekh N, Seidner D, Steiger E. Managing short bowel syndrome: making the most of what the patient still has. Cleve Clin J Med. 2005;72(9):833–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Buchman AL, Scolapio J, Fryer J. AGA technical review on short bowel syndrome and intestinal transplantation. Gastroenterology. 2003;124(4):1111–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Nordgaard I, Hansen BS, Mortensen PB. Importance of colonic support for energy absorption as small-bowel failure proceeds. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996;64(2):222–31.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Jeppesen PB, Mortensen PB. Colonic digestion and absorption of energy from carbohydrates and medium-chain fat in small bowel failure. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1999;23 Suppl 5:S101–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wilmore DW. Indications for specific therapy in the rehabilitation of patients with the short-bowel syndrome. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2003;17(6):895–906.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Jeppesen PB, Mortensen PB. Significance of a preserved colon for parenteral energy requirements in patients receiving home parenteral nutrition. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1998;33(11):1175–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Nightingale JM, Bartram CI, Lennard-Jones JE. Length of residual small bowel after partial resection: correlation between radiographic and surgical measurements. Gastrointest Radiol. 1991 Fall;16(4):305–6.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Crenn P, Coudray-Lucas C, Thuillier F, Cynober L, Messing B. Postabsorptive plasma citrulline concentration is a marker of absorptive enterocyte mass and intestinal failure in humans. Gastroenterology. 2000;119(6):1496–505.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Jianfeng G, Weiming Z, Ning L, et al. Serum citrulline is a simple quantitative marker for small intestinal enterocytes mass and absorption function in short bowel patients. J Surg Res. 2005;127(2):177–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Rhoads JM, Plunkett E, Galanko J, et al. Serum citrulline levels correlate with enteral tolerance and bowel length in infants with short bowel syndrome. J Pediatr. 2005;146(4):542–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Parekh NR, Natowicz M, Lopez R, Seidner DL, Su L, Steiger E. Plasma citrulline is a marker of home parenteral nutrition dependence in patients with short bowel syndrome. Clin Nutr Suppl. 2008;3(1):71–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kim KA, Wry P, Hughes Jr E, Butcher J, Barbot D. Clostridium difficile small-bowel enteritis after total proctocolectomy: a rare but fatal, easily missed diagnosis. Report of a case. Dis Colon Rectum. 2007;50(6):920–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Jeppesen PB, Mortensen PB. Intestinal failure defined by measurements of intestinal energy and wet weight absorption. Gut. 2000;46(5):701–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Fazio VW, Coutsoftides T, Steiger E. Factors influencing the outcome of treatment of small bowel cutaneous fistula. World J Surg. 1983;7(4):481–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Chapman R, Foran R, Dunphy JE. Management of intestinal fistulas. Am J Surg. 1964;108:157–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kuvshinoff BW, Brodish RJ, McFadden DW, Fischer JE. Serum transferrin as a prognostic indicator of spontaneous closure and mortality in gastrointestinal cutaneous fistulas. Ann Surg. 1993;217(6):615–22; discussion 22–3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Meguid MM, Campos AC. Nutritional management of patients with gastrointestinal fistulas. Surg Clin North Am. 1996;76(5):1035–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Dudrick SJ, Maharaj AR, McKelvey AA. Artificial nutritional support in patients with gastrointestinal fistulas. World J Surg. 1999;23(6):570–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Makhdoom ZA, Komar MJ, Still CD. Nutrition and enterocutaneous fistulas. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2000;31(3):195–204.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cheatham ML, Safcsak K, Brzezinski SJ, Lube MW. Nitrogen balance, protein loss, and the open abdomen. Crit Care Med. 2007;35(1):127–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Staun M, Pironi L, Bozzetti F, et al. ESPEN guidelines on parenteral nutrition: home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in adult patients. Clin Nutr. 2009;28(4):467–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Wolman SL, Anderson GH, Marliss EB, Jeejeebhoy KN. Zinc in total parenteral nutrition: requirements and metabolic effects. Gastroenterology. 1979;76(3):458–67.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Matarese LE, Steiger E. Dietary and medical management of short bowel syndrome in adult patients. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2006;40 Suppl 2:S85–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Buchman AL. Etiology and initial management of short bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2006;130(2 Suppl 1):S5–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Martinez-Riquelme A, Rawlings J, Morley S, Kendall J, Hosking D, Allison S. Self-administered subcutaneous fluid infusion at home in the management of fluid depletion and hypomagnesaemia in gastro-intestinal disease. Clin Nutr. 2005;24(1):158–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Messing B, Crenn P, Beau P, Boutron-Ruault MC, Rambaud JC, Matuchansky C. Long-term survival and parenteral nutrition dependence in adult patients with the short bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1999;117(5):1043–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lennard-Jones JE. Oral rehydration solutions in short bowel syndrome. Clin Ther. 1990;12(Suppl A):129–37; discussion 38.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Byrne TA, Veglia L, Camelio M, et al. Clinical observations: beyond the prescription: optimizing the diet of patients with short bowel syndrome. Nutr Clin Pract. 2000;15:306–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Nightingale J. Gastrostomy placement in patients with Crohn’s disease. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2000;12(10):1073–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Joly F, Dray X, Corcos O, Barbot L, Kapel N, Messing B. Tube feeding improves intestinal absorption in short bowel syndrome patients. Gastroenterology. 2009;136(3):824–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Kollman KA, Lien EL, Vanderhoof JA. Dietary lipids influence intestinal adaptation after massive bowel resection. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1999;28(1):41–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Parekh NR, Seidner DL. Advances in enteral feeding of the intestinal failure patient. Support Line. 2006;28:18–24.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Welters CF, Dejong CH, Deutz NE, Heineman E. Intestinal adaptation in short bowel syndrome. ANZ J Surg. 2002;72(3):229–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Nauth J, Chang CW, Mobarhan S, Sparks S, Borton M, Svoboda S. A therapeutic approach to wean total parenteral nutrition in the management of short bowel syndrome: three cases using nocturnal enteral rehydration. Nutr Rev. 2004;62(5):221–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Jeejeebhoy KN. Short bowel syndrome: a nutritional and medical approach. CMAJ. 2002;166(10):1297–302.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. American Gastroenterological Association medical position statement. Short bowel syndrome and intestinal transplantation. Gastroenterology. 2003;124(4):1105–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Seidner DL. Short bowel syndrome: etiology, pathophysiology and management. Pract Gastroenterol. 2001;25:63–72.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Nehra V, Camilleri M, Burton D, Oenning L, Kelly DG. An open trial of octreotide long-acting release in the management of short bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001;96(5):1494–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. McDoniel K, Taylor B, Huey W, et al. Use of clonidine to decrease intestinal fluid losses in patients with high-output short-bowel syndrome. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2004;28(4):265–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Yang H, Teitelbaum DH. Novel agents in the treatment of intestinal failure: humoral factors. Gastroenterology. 2006;130(2 Suppl 1):S117–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Byrne TA, Wilmore DW, Iyer K, et al. Growth hormone, ­glutamine, and an optimal diet reduces parenteral nutrition in patients with short bowel syndrome: a prospective, randomized, placebo-­controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Ann Surg. 2005;242(5):655–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Scolapio JS. Short bowel syndrome: recent clinical outcomes with growth hormone. Gastroenterology. 2006;130(2 Suppl 1):S122–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Jeppesen PB, Sanguinetti EL, Buchman A, et al. Teduglutide (ALX-0600), a dipeptidyl peptidase IV resistant glucagon-like peptide 2 analogue, improves intestinal function in short bowel syndrome patients. Gut. 2005;54(9):1224–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Mcintyre PB, Ritchie JK, Hawley PR, Bartram CI, Lennard-Jones JE. Management of enterocutaneous fistulas: a review of 132 cases. Br J Surg. 1984;71:293–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Rose D, Yarborough MF, Canizaro PC, Lowry SF. One hundred and fourteen fistulas of the gastrointestinal tract treated with total parenteral nutrition. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1986;163(4):345–50.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Visschers RG, Olde Damink SW, Winkens B, Soeters PB, van Gemert WG. Treatment strategies in 135 consecutive patients with enterocutaneous fistulas. World J Surg. 2008;32(3):445–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Levy E, Frileux P, Cugnenc PH, Honiger J, Ollivier JM, Parc R. High-output external fistulae of the small bowel: management with continuous enteral nutrition. Br J Surg. 1989;76(7):676–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Ham M, Horton K, Kaunitz J. Fistuloclysis: case report and literature review. Nutr Clin Pract. 2007;22(5):553–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Teubner A, Morrison K, Ravishankar HR, Anderson ID, Scott NA, Carlson GL. Fistuloclysis can successfully replace parenteral feeding in the nutritional support of patients with enterocutaneous fistula. Br J Surg. 2004;91(5):625–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Hyon SH, Martinez-Garbino JA, Benati ML, Lopez-Avellaneda ME, Brozzi NA, Argibay PF. Management of a high-output postoperative enterocutaneous fistula with a vacuum sealing method and continuous enteral nutrition. ASAIO J. 2000;46(4):511–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Goverman J, Yelon JA, Platz JJ, Singson RC, Turcinovic M. The “Fistula VAC,” a technique for management of enterocutaneous fistulae arising within the open abdomen: report of 5 cases. J Trauma. 2006;60(2):428–31; discussion 31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Torres AJ, Landa JI, Moreno-Azcoita M, et al. Somatostatin in the management of gastrointestinal fistulas. A multicenter trial. Arch Surg. 1992;127(1):97–9; discussion 100.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Spiliotis J, Briand D, Gouttebel MC, et al. Treatment of fistulas of the gastrointestinal tract with total parenteral nutrition and octreotide in patients with carcinoma. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1993;176(6):575–80.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Alivizatos V, Felekis D, Zorbalas A. Evaluation of the effectiveness of octreotide in the conservative treatment of postoperative enterocutaneous fistulas. Hepatogastroenterology. 2002;49(46):1010–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Sancho JJ, di Costanzo J, Nubiola P, et al. Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of early octreotide in patients with postoperative enterocutaneous fistula. Br J Surg. 1995;82(5):638–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Seidner DL, Speerhas R. Can octreotide be added to parenteral nutrition solutions? Point-counterpoint. Nutr Clin Pract. 1998;13:84–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Hwang TL, Chen MF. Randomized trial of fibrin tissue glue for low output enterocutaneous fistula. Br J Surg. 1996;83(1):112.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Huang CS, Hess DT, Lichtenstein DR. Successful endoscopic management of postoperative GI fistula with fibrin glue injection: report of two cases. Gastrointest Endosc. 2004;60(3):460–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Neha Parekh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Parekh, N., Seidner, D.L. (2012). Medical Management of the High-Output Enterostomy and Enterocutaneous Fistula. In: Fazio, V., Church, J., Wu, J. (eds) Atlas of Intestinal Stomas. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78851-7_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78851-7_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-78850-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-78851-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics